Longer days but more days off will remain a way of life for Center Line’s first responders.

After a 9-month experiment, city officials have voted to keep the city’s public safety officers on 12-hour shifts. A permanent change from 8-hour shifts is expected to boost police presence on the streets and help the city cut overtime costs.

“We absolutely see this as a savings and as an improvement of service to our community,” Center Line City Manager John Michrina said.

The 12-hour shifts were implemented in the 1 ½-square-mile city last year to determine whether patrols could be increased using current personnel without increasing overtime costs. Officers are paid straight-time wages for the entire shift instead of receiving overtime payments for duty beyond eight hours.

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The city saved $36,000 during the 9-month project, although the hiring of more dispatchers, a change in court appearances and fewer general alarms were factors in the savings, too.

“Our main focus wasn’t in saving a buck. We want to get the most of out of the officers we have,” Center Line Public Safety Director Paul Myszenski said.

Officers will work seven out of every 14 days – or 84 hours during a two-week period. They will be on one of two platoons each for the day and afternoon shifts. They’ll get either two or three consecutive days off.

The officers on duty from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. will be paid an additional 40 cents per hour.

Myszenski said he checked with his counterparts in the Michigan Association of Police Chiefs, and those administrators who switched to 12-hour shifts gave the practice high marks.

Center Line’s public safety boss acknowledged that city administrators and officers entered the trial run last year, mindful that fatigue could be a concern. Under an agreement with the city’s police unions, any overtime that arises must be offered first to officers not on patrol that day. Officers called upon to work past a dozen hours are limited to a maximum 18 hours.

“There’s always going to be a certain amount of overtime. It’s the nature of the beast in our profession,” Myszenski said.

Most police departments in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties continue to operate 8-hour shifts. Local exceptions include Shelby Township and Roseville, according to a police union official.

James Tignanelli, business agent for the Police Officers Association of Michigan, said many police departments with reduced personnel are finding 12-hour shifts are a far more efficient way of utilizing manpower. Such scheduling requires officers to work 104 more hours per year, but that’s tempered by officers knowing they’ll have 65 additional days off, he said.

Tignanelli said any concerns by his members about fatigue were exceeded by complaints by officer not being able to coach their children’s sports teams or attend events.

Tignanelli said local governments and police unions that switch to 12-hour shifts usually sign 1-year agreements that can be voided at any point by either side. However, officials on both sides often revisit the scheduling arrangement in mid-year to consider changes in shift start times, the POAM negotiator said.

The Center Line City Council recently voted to make the 12-hour shifts permanent. Councilman Ronald Lapham, a retired police officer, opposed the measure. He could not be reached for comment.